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Shampoo free.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

So I've been on a natural cleaning kick and have learned so much already through online resources. It can be a little overwhelming once you learn what we're actually breathing in when we clean, but it's motivation to actually think about it and make some changes. And when it's usually always cheaper to go natural, why not?

Along the same lines, I've been learning a little about natural body care, especially hair care. Have you ever heard of the "No 'Poo" method (that is, "shampoo")? Shampoo strips the hair of natural oils that keep it healthy, strong, and shiny and there are ways to clean your hair without the use of shampoo.

I know, I know. This probably seems really over the top.

But I decided to try it, and surprisingly, I love it so far! I have been doing it for just over a week now and I can honestly say my hair feels completely clean and less dry/damaged. They say it takes anywhere from a few weeks to a few months for your hair and scalp to adjust to a new system, but I'm already loving it.

1. Use an old shampoo bottle or a squeeze bottle. Mix 1 part baking soda to 3 parts water. Shake well to mix.

2. Squeeze the baking soda solution onto your dry scalp, then massage your scalp for several seconds. Make sure you get your roots and can scrub - this is what cleans your scalp, but you don't need to worry about cleaning your hair at this step.

3. Leave in for 1-3 minutes, then rinse completely.

4. In a squeeze bottle (actually, I've been using an empty yogurt tub), mix 1 part white vinegar to 4 parts water. You can also add essential oils or herbs - I added a few drops of grapefruit essential oil and about a teaspoon of vanilla extract. It masks the vinegar smell and leaves your hair smelling delicious! As an aside, I was concerned my hair wouldn't smell good, so I've been annoying Shawn having him tell me if it smells bad but it hasn't at all. :)

5. Leave on hair for several seconds, then rinse.

That's it! Try it and see what you think. It will definitely save money and, possibly, save your hair if it tends to be dry and damaged.

I'll keep you updated on how it's going. And let me know if you try it, too!

5 comments:

How interesting! Just this summer, I've experimented with washing my hair every other day, instead of every day. I've been amazed that it hasn't bothered me too much and is alot better for my hair and hair color. Plus I love those days when getting ready is soooo easy!

I really liked the effects of it, and wasn't as big of a fan of the "experience" of trying to lather up with baking soda and rinse with vinegar. It's a little high maintenance until you get used to it, so I go back and forth between doing that and using a natural sulfate-free shampoo. :)

I've never tried the vinegar part of it, but been using baking soda/water mixture (I always just eyeball the amounts, usually about 1/2 tbsp baking soda to a cup of water) for about a year now and I love it. My hair is healthy and soft and doesn't get the greasy, unwashed look any more. I shower daily, but only wash my hair twice a week with the baking soda and its healthier than its ever been. Baking soda doesn't lather like shampoo does, as a side note, it will make it feel slimy when its all in your hair and then your hair will feel dried out/rough right when you rinse it out. BUT its not really dried out, it just feels that way because of the difference from having it in there. I would really encourage anyone who wants to save money on shampoo (and do things naturally) to try it. We bought a 13.5 lb bag of baking soda from Costco for like $10 last June (2011) and still haven't even used 1/3 of it. So its cost me roughly $2.50 to wash my hair this past year. Talk about savings!

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